It has been nearly 40 years since the start of the Christian and Jewish holidays have synched up.

For the first time since 1978, Hanukkah will begin at sunset on Christmas Eve, continuing for eight days to New Year’s Eve Day on Jan. 1.

Rabbi Yossi Labkowski, co-director of the Chabad Jewish Center of Cape Coral, explained that Hanukkah is usually celebrated in November or December and the start date varies each year.

“It happened quite a while ago,” he said of it synchronizing with Christmas.

This year will be the fourth time during the last 100 years that the start of the two holidays have synched up. According to experts, the synchronization also took place in 1940 and in 1902.

Labkowski noted that Christianity and its denominations follows the solar calendar.

“The difference is in the Jewish religion we follow the lunar calendar,” he said.

“The lunar calendar moves around,” Labkowski added.

The lunar calendar is about 354 days, compared to the solar calendar’s 365 days.

“Then every couple of years we have a leap year, so it catches up,” he said.

For a leap year, one month is added to the Jewish calendar.

“So it goes back and forth,” Labkowski said.

He noted that the religions celebrating at the same time is interesting.

“But I don’t think there’s any more significance than that,” Labkowski said.

On Sunday, the Chabad Jewish Center of Cape Coral will host its annual Grand Menorah Lighting starting at 4:30 p.m. in front of JCPenney in the Coralwood Shopping Center, at 2301 Del Prado Blvd.

“This is going to be the 13th year that we’re doing this,” he said.

According to Labkowski, the event serves as a symbol of religious freedom.

“Today, it’s important to emphasize that,” he said.

It is free and open to the pubic.

“We don’t charge anything for the event,” Labkowski said.

This year’s theme is “Chanukah in Dreideland.”

“We light a big menorah,” he said. “This year we’re doing a menorah with dreidels.”

“It’ll be a large menorah full of dreidels,” Labkowski added.

One year organizers made it out of Legos, another year out of candy.

He noted that attendees get to take home one of the dreidels.

There will be music and dancing, along with donuts and latkes.

“We have the traditional foods we eat on Hanukkah,” Labkowski said.

The event will also consist of a giant dreidel, free menorah kits and Hanukkah gifts.

“The kids will make dreidel arts and crafts, menorah arts and crafts,” he said.

Local dignitaries will be on hand to offer greetings.

“The community gets together,” Labkowski said. “People love coming.”

For more information, visit: www.chabadcape.com/.

The Chabad Jewish Center of Cape Coral is at 1716 Cape Coral Parkway W.